Nineteen Years and Counting: A Harry Potter Fanfiction
by rainydayfreak
Summary: Have you ever wondered what exactly happened between those 19 years? Or what if Harry Potter was a girl? In this alternate universe, Harri Potter must face the aftermath of the war against Voldemort and learn to live with the ghosts of her past. After all, there is always a beginning at the end.
1. Chapter One: Distractions

It was the hottest day of summer yet. The London sun glared down at the bustling city, glinting off windows of shops full of people trying to beat the heat, then bouncing off the traffic jam that usually always formed around lunchtime. There was almost no breeze which was quite rare, and it only further increased the already supple amount of irritation in those who had to quickly duck out of the way of a tall, freckled red-head following a messy-haired girl with piercing green eyes.

"Are we close yet, Harri? My arms feel ready to collapse at any moment," the red-head groaned, shifting to the side of a building and nearly dropping the seemingly overflowing box she held tightly in her arms.

"Almost-sorry, excuse me," the other girl replied, while quickly ducking to avoid hitting someone with a box identical to the redhead's. The red-head sighed, and stomped after Harri farther down the sidewalk, barely managing to not accidentally push a crowd of muggles into the street.

After continuing for several more grueling minutes, the two girls rounded a corner to a less busy part of the city. "I honestly don't understand why we couldn't have just apparated," the red-head grunted.

Harri sighed. "Roni, I already told you; where we're going is on a busy street and there wouldn't be anywhere convenient to apparate without being seen in broad daylight."

"Well, you would think that the muggles would have the sense to at least widen the sidewalk, let alone the streets. I mean, honestly, why go through all the trouble to make a pineapple box-,"

"iPhone?" Harri corrected,

"-whatever, when you could simply add concrete to an already formed strip of concrete?!" Roni blew a strand of loose hair out of her face, and let out a frustrated groan.

"Well, I'm not sure if this helps, but we have one more block before we reach-," Harri wasn't able to finish because Roni already broke off into a sprint down the sidewalk, causing many people in business suits to turn and glance at her confusedly before turning back to their phone.

When Harri finally caught up with her, Roni was sitting on the front steps, panting. "Finally-slow-poke," she stuck her tongue out, and Harri returned it.

"Lemme see if I have my key," Harri said while pretending to rummage around in her jacket pockets, despite the burning heat. Roni rolled her eyes and playfully smacked Harri's arm. Harri gave Roni a hurt expression. "What was that for?"

"For being a dork."

Harri shrugged. "Well, I thought I almost found the key, but your rude display of violence only delayed the search." Roni glared at Harri but smirked, and Harri finally took the key out from her jacket and widened her eyes for dramatic effect.

As Harri unlocked the door, Roni took a few seconds to gaze at the flat her best friend had recently bought. It had cost a _lot_, let alone in muggle money or galleons. Harri had been left with enough money from her parents to last a while, but Roni was still confused as to how she could afford _this_. Sometimes Harri could truly be a mystery, despite the fact that Roni was one of the few people who knew her best. After all, they had spent nearly seven years together as friends, not to mention facing countless near-death situations.

It had been nearly a month since Harri moved in with the Weasleys. She spent little time there, however, as she spent her whole day back at Hogwarts helping to fix the damage the war had caused. Roni had to resist the urge to insist on her rest, but she knew it was the only thing Harri wanted to do, after all that had happened…

"Roni? You okay?" Harri asked, standing halfway in the doorway.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just starting to get a heat stroke from waiting so long."

Harri rolled her eyes. "Then be useful and help me take these boxes inside." Roni made a face but reluctantly obeyed, and followed her in.

The entrance opened up to reveal a spacious flat with a loft, with a spiraling staircase to the right. There were several towering windows with sunlight streaming in, dust swirling in the light. Roni would've been even more impressed if only the walls weren't a hideous pink. "Uhm, Harri? Why-,"

Harri chuckled. "I know, I know, I didn't buy it for the previous owner's taste in decor, ok? It will all make sense in a minute…" Harry paused as she bent over the box she had carried in. Roni peered over her shoulder, curiously.

"What are you-," Roni stopped in the middle of her sentence as Harri heaved a ladder out of the box. She bent back down to pull out several buckets of paint, paint brushes, tape, and a tarp as Roni stood frozen. Harri stopped before bending down again and smirking at Roni's expression.

"Don't tell me there are ghosts here, too?"

Roni shook herself. "No, just wasn't...expecting that."

Harri shrugged. "It's just an expansion charm. Harold does those all the time," Harri trailed off and glanced at Roni with a weird look in her eyes which she quickly ignored.

"Here, I'll take these," Roni picked up the buckets of paint, "and head over there." She strode across the room to the farthest wall, and Harri smiled to herself.

A few minutes later, music was blasting and the two girls were singing along as they painted over the hideous pink with a creamy white. Roni jokingly said they should've painted it a bright red or gold, and even though Harri secretly wouldn't have minded it, she laughed but firmly declined. They soon finished the entire first floor as Roni was wiping the sweat off her forehead, and turned to Harri. "I'm starved. Would you mind picking up some food?"

Harri winked at Roni. "Already thought of that." She reached into the box Roni had carried earlier and pulled out two sandwiches, a large bag of chips, and a few bottles of water.

"Ooh, you're the best!" Roni said, snatching the food from Harri.

"Can I get that in writing?"

Roni snorted. "In your dreams."

Harri shrugged. "Hey, it was worth a shot."

The two girls sat on the tarp in the kitchen and discussed the latest Chudley Cannons game. As predicted, they had lost horribly to Puddlemere United, but Roni still had hope. "They just need a better Keeper, I'm telling you," Roni ranted while chewing her sandwich.

Harri smirked. "Like you?"

Roni waved her off, pretending to blush as Harri laughed. "Don't flatter me, but yes."

After they had finished their late lunch, they went upstairs and continued painting. A few hours passed by, and the sun began to become dim outside. As the girls were finishing up, Roni checked the time. She cursed under her breath, and Harri looked up, concerned. "What's the matter?"

Roni shook her head. "Nothing, it's just mom is expecting us to come back for dinner in 20."

Harri looked at the time. "Whoa, I didn't realize it was that late. I'm almost done with the finishing touches, so you can go ahead." Roni looked at Harri, a confused expression on her face. "What?" Harri asked.

"You sure?"

Harri gave Roni a firm look. "Yes, I'll be fine. I'll see you in a few minutes." Roni hesitated a few moments, before finally nodding and turning on her heel. Harri glanced at where she had disappeared and sighed.

She felt bad causing her friend to be concerned and had always hated it when she focused on her. Roni had also been struggling with the death of her brother, not to mention the effect it had had on her family, particularly George and Molly. Harri guessed she was Roni's distraction, as Hogwarts was hers. But it wasn't these memories that had caused Roni to be concerned.

A few weeks ago, Roni and Harri had attended a party at a fellow Gryffindor's house. It was meant to celebrate the defeat of Voldemort after the battle of Hogwarts, and Harri was rather reluctant to go. Roni had urged her to go for a distraction from Hogwarts, plus it would mean a lot to everyone else who was going. Harri knew it was because Harold would be there and the two haven't seen each other in a while, since Roni was always busy helping Molly out at the Burrow, and Harold was staying at Hogwarts to help as Harri was. He insisted on staying instead of joining them at the Burrow because of how much time it would take to repair the books in the library, but the two girls knew it was because he felt guilty for leaving before.

At some point at the party, someone cracked open a large bottle of Firewhiskey, so things began to get a bit out of control. Harri had mostly been hanging back, watching as Roni and Harold danced together, giving them some much needed alone time to discuss their relationship, which she, of course, didn't mind. The only thing bothering her was something that had happened earlier with Geo.

Harri had been making an increased effort to wear long-sleeves despite the increasing heat of the summer, and at one point the two had been snogging back in his room at the Burrow. He had reached to take off her jacket which she had been wearing for days, and Harri freaked out. She felt stupid because she knew she could trust Geo, but an argument broke out between the two. She knew she was Geo's distraction, but at the moment it didn't feel...right.

So Harri stood alone at the party, watching everyone go wild. The party was a very effective distraction, but distractions never seemed to last long enough. A few girls passed by her, whispering but not doing a very good job of keeping quiet. Harri backed against the wall, listening.

She didn't recognize them, but a girl with long, blonde hair was talking to her friends. "Why did Harri even bother coming? I mean, hasn't she done enough damage?"

A brunette nodded with her. "I know right? She's honestly the last person I would ever want to see here. Yeah, she defeated he-who-must-not-be-named and all that, but she fled and couldn't even save the lives of her friends. Not to mention her godfather and everyone else that had saved her time and time again."

The third one smirked. "We honestly should've just handed her over. For once I agreed with Pansy; her life was not worth everyone else's."

"Yeah, and did you see her eyes the other day? I swear, it's almost as if she's still…," the brunette paused, then continued, "possessed."

The blonde grimaced. "That's because she is. She's a monster, and will always be one."

The three girls walked out of Harri's earshot, leaving her with tears in her eyes. She quickly made her way through the crowd, no one bothering to acknowledge her. She wondered if they even recognized her.

She finally stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She went to the sink and splashed water on her face, blinking fast and trying to stop the tears from flowing. She wiped her face with a towel and stood back, hands gripping the ledge of the sink. She tried to steady her breathing, and slowly lifted her gaze to the mirror.

"_...did you see her eyes the other day? I swear, it's almost as if she's still…possessed."_

Harri's heart began to pound, and the sounds of screams and spells being fired raged in her mind, the ones that seemed to never leave. Her vision became blurred, and soon she felt as if she couldn't breathe.

The screams continued, growing harsher, louder, mind-splitting.

"_...she fled and couldn't even save the lives of her friends. Not to mention her godfather and everyone else that had saved hers so much."_

Screams became defined, the sobs of her friends and family pierced through her. Her scars burned, and tears streamed down her cheeks, her breaths becoming shorter. Her head felt ready to explode, her heart ready to be ripped from her chest. She could see his red eyes, hear his manic laugh.

But she only saw herself staring back at her.

"_...She's a monster, and will always be one."_

Harri screamed and threw a metal tray that held soap against the mirror, breaking it to pieces. Hands shaking, she sank onto the floor, and sobbed into her hands, shaking uncontrollably. Roni and Harold came bursting through the door a few minutes later, having sensed something was horribly wrong. Harold hugged her helplessly, a tear falling down his cheek as Roni held her to her chest, her heart feeling ready to burst.

Harri couldn't hear anything, couldn't feel anything anymore. She felt numb and wished she could stay like that.

* * *

"Ah, hello, my dear," Molly greeted Harri with a hug and kissed her forehead.

Harri smiled and sniffed the air. "It smells amazing in here, as always."

Molly blushed and laughed. "Always so flattering! Roni, when you're done stirring that, would you please go fetch me some more salt from the pantry?"

"Sure, mom." Roni glanced at Harri who had cleaned up before apparating to the Burrow and shooed her away.

"C'mon, Roni. It's enough that your mom won't let me help around here."

"Yeah, well I'll actually hurt you if you try anymore, so go snog Geo or something."

Harri whipped her head over her shoulder to check if Molly had heard, and then slapped Roni's arm. She stumbled back and opened her mouth to say a retort, but Harri was faster.

"I told you what happened between us. It's awkward enough that I'm going to see him tonight, but if you go yelling that around-,"

Roni cut her off with a look. "I know, I was just kidding."

Harri glared at her. Roni threw her free hand into the air, as if in surrender.

"Look, I'm sorry, but you two need to talk anyway. You can't just ignore each other forever, plus, he's my brother."

Harri sighed. Roni had always been very protective of her little brother, even though she had sided with Harri on this fight.

"All I'm saying is try to work things out, ok? You don't need to figure everything out tonight, just promise me to at least try?"

Harri nodded. "Okay."

Roni pat Harri's arm and went to the pantry.

"So, how did painting your new flat go?" Molly asked, waving her wand over the knife that was chopping vegetables.

"It went well. Thanks for lending Roni again," Harri said as she took a seat on a stool.

"Oh, don't mention it." Molly stirred the concoction boiling on the stove, and Harri nervously wove a finger around a strand of hair.

"Also, I never really thanked you for letting me stay here." Molly turned, with a surprised look on her face, and began to say something, but Harri cut her off. "And not just for this past month, but…," Harry paused, not sure how to phrase what she would say, "...for everything."

Molly smiled but had tears in her eyes. She set down the wooden spoon, and came over to Harri and took her face in her hands. "You do not have to thank me, dear. You are practically my other daughter, and I could not be happier to have you here." Harri blushed and stared at the floor. "You are an amazing girl, Harri. And you're practically almost all grown-up now." Molly beamed at her, starting to become emotional. "And I could not be more proud of you."

Roni then stormed back into the kitchen, cursing under her breath. Molly and Harri were startled, and Molly had to quickly wipe her eyes and turn back to her cooking. "Roni, would you stop cursing and tell me what's wrong?"

Roni glared. "The gnomes got into the pantry! And the big one-," Roni held her finger up to Molly, "-bit my finger!"

Molly sighed and began stirring the pot again. "Go grab a bandage from upstairs, and tell George to come down. He'll know what to do."

Harri stared at her hands, feeling a little guilty. Ever since the war, George had kept himself locked in his room for days at a time. He and his twin would always fight off the gnomes together, but he just didn't have his heart in it anymore.

After a few strained moments, the creaking of the stairs coming from the left corner of the room signaled Roni and George's arrival. George was sighing and looked tired as he ambled toward the pantry. He still made a point to smile at Harri, but only for a second.

Molly turned back to Harri from the pot. "Dinner should be ready in a few minutes. I should also think-," she turned to the family clock, "that Arthur will be home in just a second." Harri automatically turned to the door and saw his shadow coming toward it.

Arthur came inside and Molly went to greet him. Harri stood by the kitchen island a bit awkwardly. At the same time, George and Roni came out from the pantry and Roni was talking sternly to him. He stood still staring at the stairs for a few seconds before finally mumbling something and then turning to go to the bathroom. Roni went to stand by Harri, looking a little upset. "Everything ok?" Harri asked, glancing at where he had disappeared.

"Yeah. It's just…," she paused, also turning to stare at where George had left. "It's been kinda hard to convince him to even come down for meals. I insisted he at least eat with us since you'll be gone soon, but-,"

Harri cut in, "Hey, don't worry about it. If he wants to join, that's fine."

Roni shrugged, but Harri knew it bothered her.

"Hello, Harri," Arthur said, smiling. They exchanged a side hug, and Roni kissed her father on the cheek. "It smells wonderful in here," Arthur said, and Molly blushed.

"I should go call everyone else down," Molly said and then turned to go upstairs.

Bill and Fleur had stayed with the Weasleys for around two and a half weeks before returning to Shell Cottage. They wanted to stay and help out more, but Molly insisted they not worry about her. Charlie came to visit for Fred's funeral and tried to stay as long as possible, but sooner or later an accident involving a Chinese Fireball called him back to his work. The rest of the siblings had stayed at the Burrow ever since, and they enjoyed each other's company, but it still felt empty. Harri had found a loft in the city after the party mishap, not wanting to cause any more worry over herself. Besides, she figured she would need to find a place to live in for the next year when most of the Weasleys would either be back at the Ministry or Hogwarts, and she secretly couldn't bear to continue feeling helpless toward the empty space in the house.

After Molly came back down, Harri, Roni, and Arthur all helped put the food on the table as Percy, George, and Geo came downstairs a few minutes later. There were awkward greetings, particularly with Geo, which Harri was glad she wouldn't have to be put through any longer. They eventually all sat down, and a conversation began around what the Ministry had been up to lately.

"Kingsley is practically driving himself mad with trying to hire enough Aurors. There's been a shortage and unsurprisingly, nobody is up for the job," Arthur said.

"I'm surprised none of the old Order of the Phoenix members are willing to take it," Harri said, meeting Arthur's eye across the table.

He shrugged. "They're either too scared or still recovering from injuries."

A silence filled the room before Molly broke it. "Percy, what time is your interview tomorrow?"

"Er-eleven, I believe."

Arthur pursed his lips. "I can't go in any later, but I could come back for an early lunch and take you then if you want?"

Percy shook his head quickly. "No, no, it's alright."

Another silence.

Roni cleared her throat. "Anyone need something from the kitchen?" Everyone looked around and either shook their head or mumbled a 'No thanks'. Roni went into the kitchen, exhaling.

"So, Harri, what exactly are your plans for this upcoming school year?" Molly asked, smiling at her.

"Oh, er-I don't plan on going back," Harri stammered, and Molly looked confused.

"Why not? I thought you were going to take your N.E.W.T.S and begin training as an Auror?"

Harri sank in her seat. "Well, I figured that I could maybe take a break from all of this, and uh-actually figure out what I want to do." Molly still looked confused. "I felt like becoming an Auror was more of an obligation, really, but now…," Harri paused, fiddling with her fork. "I'm not really sure what I want to do."

Molly stared down at her lap. Arthur took this as a cue to reply, "Well, Harri, I think that is an excellent idea."

Molly looked up at her husband abruptly. "What? I mean, it's-," she hesitated, struggling to figure out what to say. "It's not what I thought you would do, Harri."

Harri raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean-," Molly sighed. "What I mean, Harri, is that you're a fighter. You don't give up easily, and-,"

"I'm not 'giving up', I'm just taking a break so I don't do something I'll later look back on and regret," Harry cut her off.

Molly sighed again. "I know, it's just-,"

"Mum, let her be." Heads turned toward Geo, and Harri sucked in a breath. He met her eyes, and she exchanged a small, grateful smile. They quickly turned away, and Roni re-entered the dining room.

"So, what'd I miss?" George smirked, and Molly glared.

Arthur patted his wife's hand. "Let us all just enjoy our last dinner with Harri, all right?"

George lifted his glass. "Cheers to that."

They all clinked glasses including a reluctant Molly, and Roni threw Harri a confused expression which she just smiled and shook her head at.

Conversation flowed a little better over time, George cracking much-needed jokes, and Arthur telling hilarious stories from being at the Ministry. At one point everyone was wiping their eyes from laughing so hard, and Molly stood up to begin gathering everyone's empty plates. Percy stood up to help, and they both went into the kitchen. As soon as Molly disappeared, Arthur glanced over at George and Geo who had started discussing quidditch a few seconds ago and quickly turned to Roni and Harri.

"I need to show you two something," he said in a low tone, a mischievous smile playing out on his face.

* * *

Roni and Harri followed after Arthur outside and into the garage. Roni nudged Harri and mouthed, "What is he doing?" Harri just shrugged and the two girls grinned, silently laughing at the silly man.

Eventually, Arthur turned on the tiny light hanging from the garage ceiling and led the girls to the back through a maze of old muggle junk. When they finally reached the back, coughing from the dust, Roni said, "Dad, what old piece of junk was worth us coughing up our throats tonight?"

Arthur turned to look at his daughter, a deadpan expression on his face. "Well, I thought you'd want it, but I guess not. You are, of course, welcome to leave." He turned to a box full of rubber ducks and squeezed one while whistling. Roni turned to look at Harri and rolled her eyes.

"Mr. Weasley, if I may ask," Harri began as he raised his eyebrows, "what are we doing here, exactly?"

Mr. Weasley clapped his hands together. "What we are doing here was originally for me to show you two something I had been working on, which I thought you would be interested in-," he threw a glance at Roni who stuck out her tongue, "but, I suppose you are the only one who cares." He slapped a hand over his heart and stared at the wall, causing Roni to groan.

"Fine, I'll come see it," she said, crossing her arms.

Arthur shook his head. "No, no, no, that won't be necessary."

"Daaad," Roni groaned. Harri smirked.

"Okay, fine, if you say so." He waved his hands dramatically in the air. "Prepare yourselves, now." Harri exchanged glances with Roni. The two girls clasped hands jokingly and nodded toward him. He smiled and swept a cover off something big and dark in the back. Roni and Harri gasped.

There, shining in all its glory, was the wild Ford Anglia. "B-b-but, how?!" Roni asked, jumping forward to marvel at it.

"I thought you didn't care about my 'junk'," Arthur said, grinning at Harri. Roni only continued to stare at it, dumbstruck.

"It looks brand new. How'd you find it?" Harri asked, running her hand along the smooth side.

"Well, I stumbled upon it when I was taking a stroll in the Forbidden Forest one night. It appeared lonely, so I decided to take it back and clean it up."

"It looks great, Dad," Roni said, and he took a bow.

"You know, technically, this isn't even here, because I would never bring it back without your mother's approval, so if you would, let's say, just happen to find a strikingly similar car and take it for yourselves, that would be to my utmost gratitude." His eyes twinkled as he smiled.

Roni gasped and leaped forward to hug him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank youuu!" Roni shouted, and Harri smiled.

Arthur wriggled out of his daughter's tight grasp and smiled, tapping his nose. "Now, just don't tell your mother, and get it out of here particularly by tonight." Roni saluted, and Harri nodded.

Arthur whistled as he left, and Roni turned to Harri, a crazed smile on her face. Harri raised her eyebrows, a bit concerned. "Everything all right in there?"

Roni squealed and hugged Harri super tightly, causing her to gasp for breath. "I'm assuming that's a 'yes'," she said in a strained voice.

Roni began dancing around the car and soon pulled Harri with her. "Think of all the places we can go to in this thing! We could go on road trips, go to concerts, go to the beach at midnight…," Roni continued with her ideas, and Harri could only smile. She was happy that her best friend was so happy. She hadn't seen her like this in a while, and she wanted to soak it in.

After a few minutes, the girls sat down inside the car and began debating how in the world they could sneak it out without Molly seeing it. "Well, we could drive it down the road, and when I leave I can just apparate there and drive it home," Harri suggested.

Roni nodded, then said, "Or, we could just call up Harold and he can come here and teleport it to your place."

Harri shook her head. "No, it's ok, I can manage. Besides, I'm sure he's exhausted." The two girls sat in silence, missing their friend.

All of a sudden, the garage door opened. The two girls yelped and leaped out of the car, hurrying to cover it with the blanket Arthur had used. Luckily, it was only Geo, but Harri's heart still thumped in her chest. "Hey, Harri, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Harri blinked. "Uh, yeah, sure."

They all stood there awkwardly for a few seconds before Roni cleared her throat. "Well, off you two go," she pushed them toward the doorway and stood in front of the car. Geo and Harri walked out, and Harri turned to look back at Roni, who gave her two thumbs up. Harri rolled her eyes and followed after Geo.

The two made their way to the backyard and sat down on the steps leading up to the back door. Harri nervously pursed and un-pursed her lips, as Geo gazed at the sky. He sighed and turned to face her. "Look, I'm sorry about...that night. I get it that you weren't ready, and I was out of my place."

Harri looked into his eyes and nodded. "It's ok. I guess I was just-," she paused, glancing at the trees swaying in the wind. "I dunno."

Geo smiled faintly. "Scared?"

Harri exhaled. "Yeah."

The two looked up at the stars and sat in silence. Geo took Harri's hand in his. "Listen, when you are ready, I'll be waiting. Okay?" Harri contemplated this.

She then nodded. "Okay."

Geo squeezed her hand and bent to kiss her on the forehead. They leaned against each other and continued to gaze at the stars.

Harri wished it was always this quiet. At least in her mind.


	2. Chapter Two: Birthdays and Getaways

"Ow!" Harri rubbed her arm, wincing beneath the blindfold around her eyes.

"Sorry. A little to the right!" Roni exclaimed, quickly shifting Harri by the shoulder so she wouldn't walk face-first into the wall.

Harri groaned. "Trying to kill me before I reach eighteen?" Harri asked, stumbling over her feet.

"Haha, very funny. And technically, we still have twenty seconds," Roni said, glancing over at Harri's watch. Roni guided Harri slowly through the house until she abruptly stopped, squeezing Harri's shoulders to keep her from stumbling over. Harri exhaled, relieved she had made it through the last five minutes of wandering around aimlessly in the dark.

Roni stepped in front of Harri and wrapped her hands around where the blindfold was fastened around Harri's head. She untied it in a quick motion, then stepped aside to reveal what awaited Harri in the dining room.

"Surprise!" exclaimed the seven people who were crowded around the Weasley's dining table.

Harri smiled, genuinely surprised. "I don't know what to say," she said, hands on her face.

A boy with messy blond hair and twinkling blue eyes pulled Harri toward the table, saying, "Don't worry, you don't have to."

Harri's eyes widened and she laughed, again shocked. "Luke, I've missed you!" Luke Lovegood smiled, hugging Harri back.

"Look who else is here," Roni said as she brought another old friend over to Harri.

Harri laughed. "Nellie, you look beautiful."

Nellie Longbottom blushed in a yellow floral dress and hugged Harri. "Thanks. It's so good to see you."

"It's nice to have the gang back around after so long. We should really meet up more," Harri said, squeezing Nellie and Lukes' shoulders.

"Definitely. How about Diagon Alley for old time's sake in exactly a week at 12:00?" Harold asked, putting an arm around Roni who smirked. "What?" Harold asked, looking a bit offended.

"Did you rehearse that in the mirror or something?" Roni asked, and a collective chuckle was shared among the group, all except for Harold who rolled his eyes as Roni ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Cake time!" Arthur called as he cleared the table. George conjured a mini drum-roll with a couple of wooden spoons banging on the kitchen stools as Molly and Percy carried the cake out. A few 'ooh's and 'ah's came from the five friends who began to circle back around the table, Harri in the middle. The cake was a simple, two-layered chocolate cake with gold, curly frosting on the top spelling out, 'Happy 18th Birthday Harri!', with a golden snitch made out of frosting flying around the words.

"It's amazing, Molly. You shouldn't have," Harri said, smiling.

Molly blushed as Arthur began lighting the eighteen candles that surrounded the cake on both layers. "Don't mention it, dear. Just enjoy," she said, smiling, then backed out of the way.

There had been an awkward sort of tension between Harri and Molly since her last dinner at the Weasley's before officially moving out. Harri wasn't mad at how Molly had reacted when she confessed to taking a break from her education and career, but she rather felt a bit ashamed of herself. She was hesitant to make such a decision in the first place, and almost felt guilty for it. She supposed that was how most people felt when their parents said that they weren't mad, but disappointed.

Everyone began to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Harri, as she gazed down into the hazy light of the candles. Memories of her young life began to swirl in her head, and she realized she really had already led quite an extraordinary life, to say the least. Worry and concern for the future, however, kept prodding in the back of Harri's mind, not allowing for her to be perfectly content. But she was almost, which was the most it had been in a very long time.

The singing suddenly stopped, and Harri realized it was time for her to make a wish. She internally panicked for a few seconds, her mind racing through thousands of thoughts, all but anything to wish for. She closed her eyes tightly, thinking hard.

She opened her eyes and blew out the candles. Her friends clapped and cheered, as Arthur plucked out the candles and began to hand out slices to everyone. They sat down at the dining table and each exchanged in several conversations throughout the night. Soon enough, it was almost like old times, as the wizards and witches bantered about the latest news on the wizarding world or their old friends and whatnot. It was a night of memories, both good and bad. But despite how much Harri tried to ignore it, she could only think of the empty seat across from her.

* * *

It was the end of June, nearly a month ago. Harri was sitting on her couch in the living room of her flat, reloading her text messages every five seconds. She eventually gave up and sighed, glancing at the door.

She was waiting for Geo to arrive so they could go out to dinner together. She hadn't seen him since that night at the Burrow and was looking forward to seeing him again. Despite being excited, she was also a bit nervous. That night, after they finished dinner, she was planning on them going back to her apartment to watch the first muggle movie she had ever shown Geo, and then if she didn't chicken out, they would do it.

She had been thinking lately about what Geo had said to her that night and realized that she had nothing to be scared of, really. After all, she was sure Geo had some scars he hadn't shown her yet, and if he was willing to, then she was, also.

Harri pursed her lips as she checked the time: 8:47. Geo was seventeen minutes late. Harri decided to text him, saying that she was heading to the restaurant they had earlier picked out so he could just head over there instead of having to pick her up. She tugged her burgundy trench coat on over a black blouse and jeans and left her flat.

It had cooled down from the day's heat, and a warm breeze intertwined among Harri's hair. Streetlights illuminated her way through the growing darkness, and twilight was painted along the skyline. Harri breathed the summer air in deeply, finally beginning to relax. It was just then that she turned the corner and a flash of gold caught her eye. She turned to the left, looking into an old pawnshop.

When Harri first moved into her flat, she had explored the city around it and quickly deduced that the pawnshop was most definitely owned by the Zabinis. She had recognized the cold stare from Mrs. Zabini that was so much like her daughter's when she had passed by the shop and made a mental note to never look in for more than a second. But as she stared into the shop, she saw that what had caught her eye belonged to a large, diamond ring with a gold band on the finger of Brielle Zabini, who had her arms wrapped around Geo. Who was kissing her.

Harri felt her stomach fall. Her hands became clammy, and she shook her head, blinking rapidly. She looked back up, and it was still the same sickening sight.

Hot tears became to form in her eyes, and she turned on her heel, breaking into a run.

By the time Harri was pulling into the Weasley's driveway in the Ford Anglia, she couldn't remember when she had stopped crying and couldn't be bothered to check the time, let alone her phone.

She knocked on the front door, and crossed her arms, trying to stop shaking. After a few long minutes, she exhaled sharply and turned to go.

She was halfway near the car when she heard the door open. She stopped walking and began to breathe quickly. "Harri?" Roni's voice was quiet, and she could sense from her tone that she was scared something was wrong. She turned around slowly, arms aching from how tightly she had been squeezing them. Harri locked eyes with Roni, and let out a sob that she didn't realize she had been holding in. Roni ran to her and held her as she sobbed into her shoulder, stroking her hair.

Harri's head rested in Roni's lap on her bed. Several hours had passed, and Roni was beginning to feel drowsy. She rested her head on her pillows and continued running her fingers through Harri's hair as she had been all evening to keep from falling asleep, and to also calm her friend. She sighed softly. "Harri?" Silence. Roni stopped running her fingers through her hair and yawned.

"You don't have to tell me what happened now, but are you going to be okay so I can sleep?" she asked gently, trying to stretch without moving Harri's head.

"Yeah," Harri replied, her voice raspy and nose stuffy. Roni sighed and looked down at her friend, feeling helpless again. She couldn't hold it all in any longer.

"Harri, I-I can't bear to see you like this anymore. And I can't stand how everyone is so different and they're just-just trying _so _hard not to break down every day and I feel like I have to hold them together but Harri, I can't. I can't." It was then that Roni began to cry and Harri sat up, worry flooding her face. "I'm sorry," Roni mumbled tiredly as Harri handed her a half-empty tissue box and hugged her. Roni leaned into Harri and sighed. "I'm just so tired of this. I just wish things were back to normal."

Harri nodded. "Me too."

Roni blew her nose and laughed. "God, this is so selfish. I mean-you literally died and I'm complaining about how screwed up my family is."

Harri frowned. "Roni, you're not selfish, and you're anything but that. I wish things were better for everyone, but you should know that you can talk to me about this anytime."

Roni sniffed. "Thanks, but my problems are nothing compared to what you've been through."

"That doesn't mean they don't matter," Harri retorted, then sighed.

Roni looked at Harri after a few moments. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel like you can't come over and talk to me if you have to anymore. I know it bothers you," Roni quickly said when Harri opened her mouth to retort.

Harri pursed and unpursed her lips. "It's okay. Hey, just don't worry about me so much-,"

Roni laughed. "You say it as if it's so easy." Harri could only shrug defeatedly as Roni put her arms around her.

Harri took a deep breath. "I saw Geo in the Zabini's pawnshop." Roni looked down at Harri, suddenly wide awake. Before she could ask anything, Harri cut her off. "He was snogging Brielle and I think they're engaged." Roni started violently coughing. Harri pat her friend on the back until she stopped, and they both sat in silence for a few minutes.

When Roni regained her voice, she asked, "You seriously think they're engaged?"

Harri shrugged. "I doubt the diamond ring on her finger would suggest otherwise."

"How would we know that it isn't from someone else that she's cheating on with-Geo," Roni asked, hesitating on the last part.

"Well, we can't, but does it really matter?" Harri asked, staring at the floor.

Roni studied Harri's face before putting her arm around her and resting her head against Harri's. "I'm so sorry. You're gonna get through this though. I mean, you literally survived death."

Harri nodded, feeling the all-too-familiar sensation of sinking.

"But this is worse."

* * *

"Hey."

Harri looked up from her perch on Roni's bed from her view of the backyard. Roni handed her a cup of tea. "I thought you might want some while I was downstairs."

"Thanks," Harri said appreciatively, taking a sip from the steaming mug.

Roni stared out the window for a few moments before breaking the silence. "How have you been feeling lately?"

Harri still had her eyes fixed on the greenery outside. "A little better. At least better than I would be alone." Harri half-smiled at Roni.

"Hey, you know you can stay here as long as you need to. Besides, mum doesn't mind the help." Harri took another sip of her tea and turned back to the window as Roni put her arm around her.

It had been three days since Harri came back to the Burrow. Molly had insisted on letting her stay, but the worst thing was that nobody in the family had heard from Geo, nor could they find him. Arthur and Percy had gone searching over the weekend, but they had had no luck. Harri felt bad once again for arising twice the amount of worry and concern in the family and kept telling herself that she would go back to her place the next day, but she would always wake up from nightmares that would leave her shaken for hours, causing her to be immensely sleep-deprived.

Harold had come over the day before just to spend some time with the two girls and make sure Harri was ok. She appreciated him being there, but it was just another person that she had caused to worry about her.

Roni had also been talking more to Harri about the effects of the war on her and her family, which helped clear off a lot of stress on her part, but it also felt nice for Harri to see her friend a little calmer than she had been lately. But a part of Harri could not help but feel guilty as she always did when the topic came up.

All of a sudden someone knocked on the door. The two girls quickly turned to see Arthur standing in the doorway, looking tired. "Dad, are you okay?" Roni asked, concerned.

Arthur smiled, faintly. "I'm alright, dear. I have some bad news, however." Harri inhaled, a sinking feeling forming in her stomach.

Arthur sat down in Roni's chair by her desk, letting out a small sigh. "I was walking back to my office after solving a case involving an enchanted vacuum and squirrel-,"

Roni and Harri raised their eyebrows.

"-don't ask, and I happened to walk by none other than the Zabini's pawnshop." Harri braced herself as Arthur paused. "I had gone there multiple times to search, but it was always closed. But today, Mrs. Zabini was there. I went inside and demanded to know where my son was. The woman seemed very distressed, and to my surprise, she soon began to cry as she told me that her daughter was to marry Theodore Nott-,"

Roni snorted.

"-but she had run off at the last second with-," Arthur hesitated.

"Him." Harri finished, staring at her lap. A silence filled the room.

Arthur sighed and patted Harri's hand. "Harri, I am so sorry."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault at all." Arthur and Roni locked eyes, and he eventually got up to go back downstairs.

Roni stared out the window. Harri did the same, as something filled her chest, something different than the aching pain that had been so constant lately, something burning but ice-cold at the same time.

Suddenly, Harri sat up straighter, causing Roni to break away from her trance.

"I need to get away from here."

Roni stared at Harri. "But where?" Harri turned to face her.

"Anywhere but here."

* * *

"Got everything?" Harri asked as she flicked through a map.

"Yup," Roni said as she shut the trunk with considerable ease, thanks to an expansion charm. She hopped in the Ford Anglia behind the wheel and turned to peer over at the map that Harri had been studying. "So, where to?"

Harri shrugged, then looked up with a tired smile. "I don't care, as long as I'm with you."

The girls set off, driving to anywhere and nowhere. Harri had insisted on not flying so they could 'get the full experience', which Roni reluctantly agreed to. Their plan was to set off on a trip all the way to the northernmost tip of Scotland and stop wherever and whenever they wanted. The first few days were full of their favorite music blasting on the stereo and the windows down, the warm summer wind flowing in their hair as they drove along in the countryside. There was mostly greenery and the occasional rustic village sprinkled along the mostly deserted, winding road. The girls had packed extra food and snacks just in case and sometimes didn't find hotels late into the night, so they laid out several fluffy blankets and pillows they had stolen from Roni's room beforehand. They talked into the night, about everything and nothing. Most of the days that followed included stopping in little towns and exploring without any worries concerning time.

In one little town, Harri was studying the map as she leaned against the front of the Ford Anglia at a gas station that was starting to fall apart. Roni had gone inside to grab some more snacks as she had firmly refused Harri's insistence on going inside with her, claiming that she could "handle herself'. A man in a rugged, black jean jacket and leather pants pulled up in a motorcycle across from Harri. She looked up for a second, and then quickly back down, trying to avoid any sort of contact. Trying to focus on the map, she heard the man walking toward her. She continued to ignore him, silently praying that Roni would come out soon.

"That's a nice car you got. Don't usually see nice ones like that around here." Harri snorted and turned to the side of the car, eyes still on the map. The man persisted, "Hey, I don't bite. Wanna go for a ride on my motorcycle? Might loosen you up." The man raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing out on his face. Right before Harri could tell him to bugger off, the gas station door rang, signaling Roni's return.

"_Thank god," _Harri thought to herself.

She widened her eyes at Roni then glanced back at the man only so she could see, trying to get the message across. Roni quickly understood and began to walk faster over to Harri's side. "Hey, old chap, sorry to break it to you, but this girl is taken," Roni said, throwing an arm around her.

The man laughed, crossing his arms. "That's not a problem for me." Roni made a weird noise. The man winked at her. "If you want to join, you can."

Roni glared at him. "Look mister, hate to break it to ya, but you're just going to have to move your flat, leathery ass away from here, because this is _my _girl, and when I say 'my girl', I mean that I'm _with_ her, and if you have a problem with that, you better get the hell outta here before I kick your ass on the way out." Harri bit her lip from laughing and put an arm around Roni, squeezing her to her side. The man's eyes had widened, and he cursed to himself as he turned back toward his motorcycle and rode off, dust swirling after him.

Roni and Harri followed him with their eyes until they couldn't see him anymore, and Harri burst out laughing. "What?" Roni asked, still red in the face from her anger.

"That was awesome. God, I love you." She hugged Roni, still laughing.

Roni shook her head, limp in Harri's embrace. "You know I hate people like that. And I was gonna snog you to make him more uncomfortable but I thought that may have been a bit much."

Harri laughed even harder now. "Yeah, maybe."

The two girls continued to drive up north and explore new towns and occasionally walk around on trails and take pictures with an old polaroid camera that Roni and Harri had found in the Weasley's garage.

One night they drove into a little town somewhere in Scotland and decided to stay in a little hotel for the night. They went to a small pub for dinner and had a few drinks. There was a live band and at some point, they began to play a song that Harri and Geo had loved when they started dating. Harri had been dodging talking, let alone thinking about what had happened between them, so after a few more drinks and songs, Harri went up to the band and asked if she could sing something. Roni had tried to stop her but was too tired and drunk to be able to do anything, so she just stood in the middle of the dance floor, helplessly. Harri eventually got up on the stage and held onto the microphone stand dizzily. "Hi Scotland, hi. Hi. So, this is for my ex, who-who cheated on me. Yeah, s' great, and I hope you enjoy it." She grabbed the microphone and began to sing to 'Holy Ground', as people began to sing and dance along, and Roni cheered. Harri began to get lost in the music and sang with all her might, somehow not forgetting any of the words and hitting nearly every note perfectly. Roni had never really heard her sing normally before since they generally just playfully sang along to their favorite songs. She soon fell into the haze that the music and laughter had created, and lost all hints of a single worry as she danced along. All seemed to be calm, but like all things, it never lasted forever.

When the song began to come to an end, Harri seemed to feel herself drifting back to reality, all the memories flowing back. When it all ended, everyone in the tiny pub cheered, raising their glasses to Harri, Roni cheering the loudest. Harri bowed, then stumbled off the stage and out the door.

She made her way around the building and to the back, where she keeled over and vomited. Roni came up behind her and quickly pulled back her hair, reality painfully rushing back. Harri coughed through tears that she didn't remember beginning to stream down her cheeks, as Roni tried to comfort her, all the while shaking.

The two girls woke up in the morning, collapsed on one of the two beds in the hotel room, both with splitting headaches and puffy eyes. They decided to spend an extra day there, just sitting in the hotel room, finally venting about everything. It was both relieving and exhausting for both girls, but they enjoyed each other's company and went to sleep both a little more content than they had been in a long time.

The next day, the two girls set back out and didn't stop driving until they reached Duncansby Head. They walked along the coast, stopping to take pictures here and there. But mostly they walked in silence, the wind ruffling their clothes as the grey sky moved silently above. The sound of the waves drew Harri into a trance, and if only in that moment, the two friends appreciated all that had brought them there.

* * *

Harri smiled to herself as she sipped some tea on the couch beside her friends who were chatting happily among themselves when Mrs. Weasley tapped Harri on the shoulder. Harri looked up, a bit disoriented. "Follow me," Mrs. Weasley mouthed.

Harri followed Mrs. Weasley up the twisting staircase and into the attic where the old ghoul was snoring away. She went to a box on top of a shelf and took it down, placing it carefully on the floor between them. She sat down, motioning for Harri to do the same.

Molly took a deep breath. "Before you began your sixth year at Hogwarts, Arthur and I went back to Grimmauld Place before anyone else from the Order could. We went directly to Sirius's childhood room, and found this in his closet." Molly pushed the box toward Harri. "Open it," she said, softly. Harri inhaled for a moment before reaching in. She pulled out a black leather jacket, one that she immediately recognized from a picture taken of her dad and his friends during their fifth year at Hogwarts.

Harri was speechless. "We wanted to give it to you earlier on and we felt extremely guilty for waiting, but you were just so broken-hearted after-after what had happened. We just didn't want to upset you any further." Harri shook her head slightly, still staring at the jacket in her hands. Molly pursed her lips. "Please say something, Harri. I'm-I'm so sor-,"

Molly wasn't able to finish since Harri had thrown her arms around her, hugging her tightly and whispered, "Thank you." Molly hugged her back, a tear falling down her face.

Harri had her eyes squeezed shut, remembering her godfather and how much he had loved that jacket as a kid. She was afraid to open her eyes so she wouldn't continue to forget his face and let go of all of the tears she had been holding back.


	3. Chapter Three: Coffee and Contracts

A tapping noise came from the kitchen window, causing Harri to jump from her perch at the table. She had been skimming through The Daily Prophet, rolling her eyes at the little, if not zero, progress in the Ministry. She peered toward the square window above the sink and could make out an elegant, northern white-faced owl perched on the windowsill. She stood up and went to open it, untying a piece of paper from the owl's foot. It rustled its wings before taking flight into the late summer air.

It had been over a month since Harri's birthday. Over the time that had passed by, she had had lots of time to herself, so she developed a few hobbies. She began a strict exercise schedule since it easily took her mind off multiple things. She would come home exhausted after several hours nearly every day and learned to relax a bit. She also began to teach herself how to play the guitar, since she had experimented with Geo's back at Hogwarts and enjoyed it.

School at Hogwarts had resumed about a week ago, and Harold finally left as his duties there were finished. Harri and Roni had planned to meet up with him for coffee the next day and were both looking forward to seeing him for the first time since Harri's birthday.

Harri took another sip of her drink as she sat back down, reading the paper that was brought by the owl:

* * *

_**Ms. Potter,**_

_**We regret to inform you that you have violated several laws under the Department of Magical Transportation, due to not being registered in apparition. There have been several repeated violations for over a year, and to avoid further punishment, a fine of 200 galleons must be paid by the 8th of September 2019.**_

_**Best regards, **_

_**Artullus Pimp**_

_**Head of the Department of Magical Transportation **_

_**Ministry of Magic**_

M.O.M

_Approved by Minister_

* * *

Harri had been reading the letter with narrowed eyes and increasing frustration, but she nearly spit out her coffee as she read the amount of the fine. _200 galleons?!_ She kept re-reading it, convinced that it had to be a mistake. She knew she had never actually taken the apparition test, but that was because she was off saving the world with her friends.

Harri threw the paper down onto the table forcefully before standing back up to put her empty mug in the sink. A prickly sensation was forming in her head and only grew as she made up her mind.

* * *

The main lobby of the Ministry of Magic was bustling on a Monday morning as usual. Dozens of witches and wizards poured out of surrounding elevators, fireplaces, and other magical entrances. Voices and footsteps echoed in the vast rotunda as Harri edged her way to the reception desk. She could practically feel the stares and whispers burning into her as she fought her way through the crowd, but she tugged Sirius's jacket around her closer, feeling more protected than before.

Ever since Molly gave Harri the black leather jacket, she practically lived in it. It felt like her armor and took pride in wearing it everywhere.

When she finally reached the desk, she tapped her fingers along the edge, as a young, scrawny wizard kept staring at a piece of parchment. It looked enchanted since what he was writing eventually disappeared and was replaced by new, poorly-structured sentences. Harri recognized it as a charm similar to that of texting in the muggle world and internally groaned. She cleared her throat, impatience growing as the boy kept laughing irritatingly. He finally glanced past her, and absentmindedly asked, "Yeah?"

"I'm here to speak to-," Harri paused, turning to look at the signature on the crumpled up piece of paper in her hand. "-Mr. Pimp of the Department of Magical Transportation." The wizard behind the desk remained silent, still snickering at the parchment. Harri sighed. "Did you hear any of that?" she asked, frowning. The wizard merely nodded and reached out his hand for her wand. Harri stepped back and crossed her arms. The wizard eventually looked up and had to do a double-take.

"Har-I mean, Ms. Potter? I wasn't-er-expecting to see you." He quickly smoothed out his hair, a cocky grin spreading across his face.

Harri narrowed her eyes before he asked, "What can I do for you today?"

Harri laughed, arms still crossed. "What's your name?"

The boy's smile faded slightly before he replied, "L-Liam? Liam Nickleson."

Harri nodded. "Good to know." Liam's eyes widened before she went on to say, "Liam, I need to speak with the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. Or do you need me to write that down for you so you can understand?"

"Uh-no? You just-uh-need to sign these forms." He reached for a large stack of papers and handed them to Harri, placing a quill on top. Harri watched Liam do this, and stared at him before he nervously asked, "Uh, what else do you want?"

Harri rested her arms on the counter where the papers lay in front of her, smiling. "Is this a new installment for the Ministry?

"Yeah?" Liam almost asked, an edge to his tone.

"Liam, I was asking you a question. You either answer it or don't."

"Uh, it-it's a new installment," Liam was beginning to grow uncomfortable as Harri continued to stare him down.

"Well, I don't see how it's necessary."

Liam's face grew even more confused as he asked, "W-what?"

"I said it's not necessary. Take my wand and I'll be on my way."

"Uh, you have to sign the papers."

Harri sighed. "I'm only here to speak with Mr. Pimp, not the entire fucking Wizengamot-,"

Liam's eyes had widened again.

"-I'm not going to sign a thousand papers because I'm only voicing what Mr. Pimp has made a mistake in. As we are _supposed_ to be able to, regardless of one's status quo. Now am I going to be here until Christmas or what, Mr. Nickelson?"

Liam practically trembled as he stood firmly rooted to the floor, shaking his head slightly.

"Words please, Mr. Nickelson," Harri said, faking calmness as irritation rose in her chest.

Liam shook his head again before saying, "I'm not doing anything until you sign the forms."

Harri stared at him as he purposely looked anywhere but into her eyes. "Mr. Nickelson." Liam kept staring around. Harri had balled her hands into fists and was taking deep, even breaths. "Take my wand, and I'll be on my way. Okay?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Liam smiled evilly and pushed the brass scale behind him.

Harri practically sprang to the other side to strangle him before a strong arm took hold of hers. Liam had fallen to the ground in fear as Harri struggled against the person who had taken hold of her, fury only growing inside of her. She spun around to see the person, ready to swear at them but quickly closed her mouth when she saw it was only Percy Weasley. She froze for a moment, wondering if she was dreaming or if the usual, uptight wimp had actually stepped in.

"I-uh, ehem," Percy cleared his throat while trying to address the terrified Liam on the floor. "Harri and I need to go see Mr. Pimp, as I have a second interview with him today and require a recommendation from her-,"

As he said this, he firmly locked eyes with Harri who was almost completely bewildered at this point.

"-which she has so graciously agreed to do."

Liam glared at the both of them and snatched both of their wands before quickly weighing them on the scale and handing them back without a word. Percy and Harri walked toward the elevators before he heaved a great, long sigh. "You just couldn't control your temper back there?"

Harri rolled her eyes. "Listen, if you had to deal with the kid, you would've reacted the same way. He literally didn't pay any attention to me until he realized I was '_the_ Harri Potter'. Probably from some traditional pureblood family," she said before sighing in irritation.

"Well, it was a good thing my interview happened to be today, or else _that _would've been all over the press."

Harri turned to look at Percy. "Right. Thanks, and I'm sorry I snapped at you. I just received this bogus letter from Mr. Pimp this morning," she handed it to Percy to read, and he scrunched up his face in confusion while doing so.

"Are they serious? _200 _galleons? That has to be a typo."

Harri shrugged. "It better be. I guess we'll find out soon enough, though."

They both stepped onto an elevator and began to ascend. "So, I didn't know you had gotten called back for another interview," Harri said.

"I did. Mr. Pimp is getting old, so he wants an apprentice to take over his job eventually after he's gone, since his head assistant quit recently."

"That's great, Percy. I'm sure you'll get it."

Percy blushed, before stammering after a small silence, "I-uh-also never got the chance to apologize to you, Harri. For-well, everything."

Harri watched Percy struggle with his words before sighing. "Don't worry about it. It's in the past anyway."

Percy sighed again. "Maybe, but what I did was wrong, and I just want to make it up to everyone somehow."

Harri placed her hand on his arm gently. "Hey, what you're doing right now is probably the best thing anyone could do. And your family will always love you no matter what. Besides, what you did to Thicknesse spoke for itself."

Percy chuckled. "Yeah well, I suppose I forgot about that."

The two shared a bittersweet smile before the doors opened. They both stepped out and were about to head to Mr. Pimp's office before they froze in their tracks.

None other than the Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt, stood in front of them, hands clasped together. Percy swallowed before saying, "M-Minster, it's good to see you."

Kingsley nodded toward him. "You too, Mr. Weasley. Good luck with your interview today."

"Th-thank you. Bye, Harri." He rushed off down the hallway as Harri waved after him.

"Kingsley, I wasn't expecting to see you on this particular floor."

Kingsley smiled before saying, "_I_ was. I think it best to let you know that Mr. Pimp had made a mistake, although you need to be registered for apparition eventually. But we'll let it slide for now, regarding the whole 'saving the world' ordeal you managed to pull off."

Harri smiled slightly before asking, "Alright, but what do you want?"

Kingsley didn't have a change in his expression as he simply replied, "Whatever do you mean, Ms. Potter?"

Harri crossed her arms, a smirk playing out on her face. "Well, I'm sure there's a reason you so conveniently happened to be on the same floor as I."

Kingsley smiled. "Yes, I suppose so. Follow me to my office, if you please."

The two stepped back onto the elevator and ascended furthermore.

* * *

Kingsley sat in a grand armchair behind his expansive desk. Harri lightly tapped her knee as she sat across from him, growing anxious to know what he was about to say to her.

After a little while, he cleared his throat. "Harri, as you know, the Auror Department has been lacking. We have an excellent new Head, but still not enough Aurors to fulfill the entire demand. Especially when we received this new case yesterday-,"

He slid a crisp, average-sized folder to Harri. She stared down at it before asking, "You're just going to let me open it?"

Kingsley smirked. "I think you are the most qualified person to look at anything regarding this, considering how much you already know."

Harri raised an eyebrow but nonetheless opened the file. She read along the lines of a record:

* * *

**The disappearance of Mr. Lucius Malfoy was reported on the 1st of September 2019. Sources reveal no evidence of a culprit nor a motive. The case will continue extensively, as investigations will follow. Interviews are listed below:**

* * *

Harri flipped through several pages, briefly skimming over each one. There was barely any helpful information from what she could tell, so she tossed the paper back onto the desk and leaned back in her chair. "There's basically nothing that can help in there."

Kingsley merely nodded, his expression having had grown back to its usual seriousness. "I am aware of that. Which is exactly why I needed to see you."

Harri felt even more confused now. "And how is that supposed to help find Lucius?"

"You are more experienced in fighting the Dark Arts than anybody in Great Britain, let alone the entire Wizarding World. This case is already one of the most complicated we have received since the reopening of the Ministry, and none of our Aurors have been able to decode it. Our Head has been working on it, but there have only been dead ends at every turn." He paused, studying Harri's expression which had grown more suspicious throughout every passing second.

"Harri-,"

"Wait, Kingsley. I know what this is," Harri held up her hands to stop him. He sighed, sitting back in his chair.

"You want me to join the Aurors for this case. But that's not going to happen," she said softly.

Kingsley let out another sigh, this time bigger. "I was afraid you'd say that. And it's not fair to make you do this when you need a break more than anyone, but there's nobody else who can solve this. I know it's not fair to put this weight on you, but there are some-er-demanding forces."

Harri stared past him, remaining silent.

"Listen, Harri. Nobody is going to make you take this on. But think it over. You might change your mind, and this would only be specifically and exclusively for this case. The pay is considerably high and in fact higher than the average permanent Auror paycheck. I'm not trying to bribe you-,"

Harri had raised an eyebrow.

"-but in the meantime, we'll be waiting to hear from you." He slid a thin packet to Harri that stated various terms and conditions, and then a long line with a large 'X' was printed along the end. She stared at the paper before taking it in her hand, nodding to Kingsley, and leaving.

* * *

The bell on the coffee shop's door jingled as Harri entered and immediately saw Roni and Harold sitting at an elevated table, already with their drinks. She went over to them, her arms outstretched in confusion. "I thought we agreed on meeting here at nine-fifteen?"

Roni and Harold exchanged uncomfortable expressions, which only added to the buzzing in Harri's head which she had woken up with. "Okay, what's up?" she asked, hopping up on the empty stool at their table.

Harold sighed. "Harri, we-,"

"No, let me explain. Harold, go get Harri an espresso," Roni cut in. Harold shrugged defeatedly and got up. Harri turned to Roni, raising an eyebrow. It was Roni's turn to sigh.

"Look, we were going to tell you earlier, but-,"

"Oh my god, you're pregnant?!" Harri asked before gasping.

Roni's eyes widened and quickly narrowed before whisper-yelling, "_No! _Harri, just please listen." Harri relaxed a bit and nodded reluctantly.

"I moved in with Harold three weeks ago." Roni stared at her hands, ashamed.

Harri raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

Roni looked up, surprised. "Yeah, I mean-," she held up her hands slightly, not knowing what else to say. Harold sat back down and slid the espresso toward Harri, an expectant look on his face.

Harri gave a small laugh before saying, "Guys, I don't know how you were expecting me to react but that's great you moved in together."

Harold nudged Roni in the ribs before saying, "See, I told you."

Roni rolled her eyes and heaved another sigh. "I just didn't want you to feel left out, or like I should've moved in with you."

"What? Why would I think that?" Harri asked.

Roni shrugged. "I don't know. But you're okay with it?"

Harri nodded while smiling. "Of course. I'm honestly just really happy for you guys." Roni and Harold exchanged smiles as he put her hand in his.

Harri awkwardly sipped her espresso before Harold asked, "Is something wrong, Harri? You've been acting a bit strangely." A concerned expression that Harri knew all too well began to form across his face.

She sighed before launching into a rant about the letter she had received from the Ministry, and her eventful visit there. Roni and Harold were stunned into silence when she eventually finished. They glanced at each other before Harold asked, "So, what are you going to do?"

Harri could only stare back at him before replying, "I don't know. To be honest, I hoped you would have an idea." She shrugged sheepishly.

Harold rested his chin in his hand, thinking. Roni wore a thoughtful expression on her face before she finally said, "I don't think you should take it." Harold and Harri both turned to her with surprised looks.

"Why?" Harri asked.

"Because, I think you've been through enough already, to be frank. Plus, you'd need to train super quickly since the case seems so urgent."

Harri nodded. "Yeah, the contract said there'd only be three weeks compared to three years."

Harold snorted as Roni sighed. Harri slumped in her seat, staring at the table blankly. "I don't know what I'm going to do. In a way, if I accept it, I guess it would almost be like I'm redeeming myself-,"

Roni and Harold both opened their mouths to retort but Harri held up her hand.

"-but, it would take up a lot of strength, let alone time."

The three sat in silence for a few long moments before Harold finally said, "Harri, I think this is just going to have to be a decision you make on your own. I don't think anyone's opinion will help, and you just have to do what you think is best for yourself."

Harri nodded silently, giving a small smile in thanks.

Roni sighed. "Why Lucius Malfoy of all people?" Harold chuckled as Harri smirked, shaking her head.

The mood lifted as the conversation shifted to other things, including Roni's upcoming try-out for the Holyhead Harpies and Harold's interview for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Harri was happy for her friends, but an impending sense of dread kept swirling in the back of her mind.

When they eventually parted ways, Harri gloomily went back to her flat and collapsed on the couch once she was inside. She stared up at the ceiling and thought about what she would've done if it weren't for the war. She knew she would've jumped at the chance since she would be fresh out of Hogwarts and ready to pursue the career of an Auror. But now, things were different. Now, she had an unimaginable amount of baggage that only added to what was already there from before.

A small, if not bigger, part of her wanted so badly to redeem herself to those who believed she had only failed the Wizarding World, but at the same time, this was Lucius Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy who had been a long-time supporter of Lord Voldemort, the person who had caused Harri almost all her pain.

She sighed loudly, staring out of the towering windows and into the greying sky above London. It would only be this case. Nothing else. Then the Ministry would never bother her again. After all, she had all this time on her hands. But it was supposed to be time to heal. To find herself again. To decide what she _really_ wanted to do, one that didn't feel like an obligation.

But the pay was also really good. Better than any other job she could take up at the moment, in fact.

But more importantly, what was at risk. Harri knew she could get hurt even more, both mentally and physically.

But what if she would be able to protect the Wizarding World better the second time around? What if she would be able to stop yet another dark force, but this time without as much loss and pain?

Harri sat up, resting her face in her hands. She stared at the piece of paper and that long, narrow line at the bottom of what seemed like a thousand words. Heaving a tired sigh, she walked to the other side of her flat and stood by the kitchen window. Thunder echoed in the distance, and she could see the dark silhouette of rain miles away.

Darkness loomed, but the calm was unsettling.

She took out a glass from a cupboard, filled it with fire-whiskey, grabbed a quill, and sat back down on her couch, the contract in her hand.


End file.
